This Week's Leaders

Dry Wedding

I am trying to come up with some good ideas for a dry wedding. We still plan on having dancing, because I love to dance, but we would like to maybe have some cute games or something included, without making the wedding too casual. We want to make the evening something that all the guests will remember, instead of thinking that is was really boring because there was no alcohol involved.

Any ideas?

And also has anyone had or been to a wedding where they thought there shouldnt have been dancing because it was dry? Did anyone actually dance or did everyone leave right after they left? Should we do an earlier wedding because it is going to be dry? I still want to include the first dance, the father-daughter dance, and so on, so should be just include those dances and then not have any fast dancing? Please help!

Re: Dry Wedding

I have been to several dry weddings and they varied. I think it depends on your crowd a lot. Are your friends/family big into drinking and partying? If so then they will probably not enjoy it but that isn't necessarily a loss. You can plan to have a smaller more intimate reception dinner maybe. If you will have a full meal then people will sit down, eat, and have a nice time. If you are only having apps then I would suggest moving it up a bit earlier. Sad but true some people do leave earlier when it is a dry reception......but would you want them to stay just so they can drink on your dime. I think people who want to stay and celebrate with you will certainly dance and I have been to several dry weddings where people danced like crazy. I would be honest to yourself about your crowd. Are you having a dry wedding because you just don't enjoy drinking and have friends that are the same? Or are you having a dry wedding because your family drinks too much and you want to make them behave. LOL. If it is the later then I would just plan on them being party poopers with dancing etc. and maybe have an earlier wedding with a band? A good dj helps a LOT in getting people going. But honestly I went to a wedding where the family were heavy drinkers and they went for a dry wedding to make them all behave and it was not fun. The family was ticked they couldn't drink and wouldn't have had a good time no matter what. The bride and groom tried to have other things, some people danced, but overall I think they wasted their money trying to please a few. KWIM? But if your friends and family don't have issues and you are just choosing to be dry for personal reasons I would just plan as normal. People will stay to see you cut the cake, dance, and celebrate and not worry about if they can drink. Just my humble opinion of course.

I can't imagine having a dry reception, but do like your idea to have games and stuff. My fiance's friends and family doen't drink, so I too would be interested in ideas that don't involve alcohol and dancing.